Congressman Lamar Smith, Twenty First Congressional
District of Texas
(WASHINGTON) — On Monday, President Bush signed a bill into law that protects American innovations and ensures intellectual property enforcement will remain a priority for future Administrations. The Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property (PRO-IP) Act of 2008 (S. 3325) received strong bipartisan support in Congress, passing the House by a vote of 381-41 and the Senate by unanimous consent.
House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) introduced the original PRO-IP Act in December 2007. The Senate version was sponsored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and Ranking Member Arlen Specter (R-Pa.).
Ranking Member Smith issued the following statement regarding the bill:
“Intellectual property industries are a driving force in the American economy, accounting for over half of all U.S. exports, representing 40 percent of the country’s economic growth and employing 18 million American workers. As families across the nation face economic uncertainty, Congress must ensure that American innovations are protected and American businesses remain competitive.
“The PRO-IP bill strengthens current laws against counterfeiting and piracy, provides additional resources to key enforcement agencies and mandates a new and unprecedented level of leadership and coordination from the White House. By signing this bill into law, the President has made IP enforcement a top priority for future Administrations.�
The PRO-IP bill is supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy, which includes more than 500 businesses and associations.
For more information regarding the PRO-IP bill, please visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/10/20081013-7.html.